How Ocean Casino Resort Honors Atlantic City Volunteers | Ocean Casino Resort

How Ocean Casino Resort Honors Atlantic City Volunteers 

At Ocean Casino Resort, our team members work hard across every department of our resort to craft compelling guest experiences that become memories that last a lifetime. And when they clock out, many of our team members give back by performing valuable volunteer work in their own communities.

We couldn’t be more proud of the incredible work they do. That’s why we seize the opportunity every April during National Volunteer Week to support our team’s most passionate projects and help the communities they care about.

Curious about National Volunteer Week and Ocean Casino Resort’s commitment to boosting civic engagement? Keep reading to discover how you can get involved.

National Volunteer Week: A Global Initiative for Local Change 

Although National Volunteer Week wasn’t officially established until a 1974 executive order made it a nationally recognized event, its roots go back much further. In fact, the current model nods to an earlier incarnation by the same name from 1943 which sought to honor the vital role of women volunteers during World War II. 

Now, National Volunteer Week is part of a larger initiative known as Global Volunteer Month, a worldwide program in April that shines a light on the importance of volunteerism and honors the achievements of volunteers all over the globe. 

In the United States, National Volunteer Week is organized by the Points of Light Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that facilitates civic engagement and works to inspire individuals across the country toward acts of world-changing volunteerism. In partnership with the Volunteering Canada initiate, Points of Light seizes on National Volunteer Week as an opportunity to reaffirm each individual’s capacity to:

• Address society’s most pressing issues
• Strengthen communities nationwide 
• Lead to long-lasting change all over the world 

To that end, Points of Light provides several crucial services to promote volunteerism during National Volunteer Week (as well as all year long). These services include maintaining a national volunteer opportunity database, providing free informational toolkits to employers and individuals, and building services, programs, and products that enable volunteers to effect change.

National Volunteer Week at Ocean Casino Resort 

At Ocean Casino Resort, we believe in the power of nonprofit organizations and individual volunteers to be a strong force for good. But we also believe that it's important that for-profit businesses in every industry give back to the communities they call home.

There’s something else we believe in here at Ocean Casino Resort: the necessity of leading by example. For that reason, we’re always working behind the scenes to support local Atlantic City charities and bolster the work of volunteers here in our hometown.

Through our Ocean Cares Program, we raise money and other resources for worthy Atlantic City organizations that rely on volunteers to help combat housing insecurity and human trafficking, support impoverished communities, youth development and positively impact the lives of people with mental or physical disabilities. 
 

During National Volunteer Week, we turn the controls over to our remarkable team members to throw our support behind the organizations they care about most. Here are just a few of their amazing efforts:

Shannon Harrington, Reservations Call Center Representative, volunteers at All Roads Community Recovery Center, a one-stop shop for all recovery needs in Atlantic City. “I volunteer to clean, serve food, and help with anything else they may need. On Monday it's Community night, where people come to play board games, sing karaoke, and enjoy a hot meal. Tuesday is my favorite: Faith group and spiritual night, when people of many religious backgrounds come together and gather for both fulfillment and delicious comfort food. Because of my personal experiences, I can counsel others in getting the help they are seeking. I feel the need to uplift the community of Atlantic City with positivity, outreach, and paying it forward. Seeing the dedication of the staff makes me want to volunteer, and as I serve others in my community I feel like I am also receiving spiritual guidance through the process.” 

Mike Kerley, VP of Security, volunteers at several events throughout the year, including the Covenant House Sleep Out, Stockton University's  Community Clean Up Day, The Community Foodbank of New Jersey (Southern Branch), American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, First Responders Day, and American Red Cross Blood Drive. “Volunteering and representing Ocean shows our loyalty and giving back to our neighbors in Atlantic County. The Ocean family is a strong organization building ties in our community. We continue to help others through volunteering, donations, and supporting charities at different times throughout the year.

Dave Potoski, Facilities Carpenter, has been a volunteer Forest Firefighter for the last 35 years. “We help to protect the forest environment, wildlife, homes, and residents. On average, there are 1,500 wildfires in New Jersey each year which damage or destroy 7,000 acres. I operate a truck that holds over 250 gallons of water, which we refill from streams and rivers close to the fire. Living in the Pine Barrens, forest fires are of concern and the only disaster that could affect my home and surrounding area, which lead me to volunteering. I’m  proud to have forest firefighter volunteers from many other states come to New Jersey to be trained, see how we operate and bring their experiences utilizing our state-of-the-art equipment and technology home with them.” 

Carine T., Reservations Call Center Trainer, volunteered in 2022 at Egg Harbor Twp. Police Activity League’s Shop with a Hero Event and Stockton University’s Martin Luther King Day of Service. “Within my department, I've helped to organize the collection of backpacks and school supplies for Ocean's Back-to-School drive and also the collection of dresses for Project Prom. My role is always different! Sometimes I’m decorating and acting as chaperone while the children enjoy some Christmas giving. At other events, I may be helping kids understand history, learn something new, or explore their surroundings. It's important to volunteer with your team. Volunteering shows love and respect for one another. It shows we are a team both inside and outside of work .”

Even though we're proud to do our part, we know that all credit is due to the organizations themselves and the dedicated volunteers that keep them afloat. 

Get In On the Action During National Volunteer Week 

Volunteerism is important year-round, but there’s no better time to pledge your time and energy to civic engagement than during National Volunteer Week. At Ocean Casino Resort, we’ll be spending the week honoring our team members and the organizations where they volunteer their time, and we encourage you to do the same.

From April 16th to the 22nd, why not help make a difference in your community? If you’re in Atlantic City, reach out to any of the organizations we mentioned to see how you can help. And if you’re not nearby, visit PointsOfLight.org to find out about rewarding volunteer opportunities closer to home.
 

Sources: 

National Today. National Volunteer Week. https://nationaltoday.com/national-volunteer-week/

Points of Light Foundation. National Volunteer Week. https://www.pointsoflight.org/national-volunteer-week/ 

Points of Light Foundation. What We Do. https://www.pointsoflight.org/national-volunteer-week/